S.K. Jones
Clinical dermatological practice evolves in whichever
healthcare community we work but perhaps the last few
years have seen a greater ‘sea change’ than most.
In the UK there has been a great political push to move
dermatology into the community and this presentation will
highlight some of the consequences ‘foreseen and unforseen’
for dermatologists, their patients and the commissioners of
services.
UK national guidance has tried to concentrate cancer man-
agement in the hands of a few specifi c teams. This was
accepted without too much angst by most specialties where
this related to hospital specialist teams until the changes
reached dermatology, the only specialty where GPs felt that
they were being excluded form cancer management. The
heat generated by this topic may not have triggered global
warming but it will not have reduced the problem!
The economic climate impacts on healthcare wherever we
work and the presentation will discuss multi disciplinary
work streams facilitated by the NHS Confederation to
address how clinicians might save money without affecting
quality of care for their patients.
Finally, our current ‘Coalition Government’ pushes through its NHS reforms despite much medical opposition. This presentation will give some idea of the ramifi cations this is having on the provision on dermatological practice and ‘choices’ for patients.